Equally expressive in front of and behind the camera
When it Melts, a cinematic adaptation of the literary debut It Melts by author Lize Spit, also marks the directorial debut of Belgian actress Veerle Baetens (Brasschaat, 1978). The successful movie was recently selected for the prestigious Sundance Film Festival 2023 in the United States, known as the mecca of independent cinema.
The movie When it melts, which competed in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition category, recently premiered in Belgian cinemas on October 25. Intense and tragic, the film once again demonstrates Baetens’ skill in capturing the emotions in the dramatic genre, this time from behind the camera.
There is a connection between Veerle Baetens and emotional battles. Whether on the big screen, with lead roles in fictional dramas like Code 37 and The Broken Circle Breakdown, or throughout her personal life, the actress has a story to tell. In this case, the production of It Melts revolves around a young woman, Eva, who wants to confront her past. Modest Eva returns to her hometown many years after a summer that got completely out of hand.
Although she is now a strong and determined woman, Baetens recognized herself in young Eva. She was also “an insecure thirteen-year-old girl who wants to be seen”, she confessed with her expressive face, with large eyes and prominent cheekbones. “Fortunately, I didn’t experience as much misery as Eva, but I also had some difficulties: a divorce, a controlling father, problems with falling asleep…”, shared the film director.
But unlike Eva, the Flemish actress, recognizable by her mole on the chin, her preference for large and long earrings, and her short, usually blonde-dyed hair, found herself later on. Veerle Baetens began studying what she wanted; she followed a musical education at the Brusselse Hoger Instituut voor Dramatische Kunsten. With this musical training, Baetens landed a leading role in the musical series The Broken Circle Breakdown, for which she received the Best Actress award at the European Film Awards in Berlin in 2013. Additionally, she is also a singer, she has a group named Dallas.
From a very young age, she was intrigued by storytelling and cinema, so in her directorial debut she explored the creative side of writing a script and bringing characters to life. If the Flemish actress is expressive and direct, her film is too, making the message of her first audiovisual creation harsh and clear depicting the effects that childhood traumas have on adult life.
